Before Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin took the mound in a big-league game for the first time in 21 months on Saturday, the Diamondbacks were prepared to celebrate his triumphant return from Tommy John surgery. A 30-pack of Coors Light had been procured in advance, just waiting to be used in a ritualistic, welcome-back-kid beer shower.
But for Corbin, the mantra of the night was to make his 2015 debut just like any other start, despite the pomp and circumstance of Independence Day celebrations at Chase Field and the sell-out crowd of 42,113. And though his five-inning, two-run performance in Arizona's 7-3 win over the Colorado Rockies was worthy of a good dowsing, Corbin politely excused himself from the post-game craziness.